The menstrual cup, a reusable feminine hygiene product, has become quite popular in Nepal. Jay Prakash Singh, co-founder of Padshala Nepal, says in the past five years, their customer base has been steadily increasing. The store, which also takes online orders, delivers around 15 cups every day. There are even more people visiting the store. The customers, Singh says, are mostly between 18 to 30 years old.  Dr Bhola Rijal, gynecologist and obstetrician, says most of his patients tell him they started using the cup because their friends or colleagues recommended it to them. “Women who are using menstrual cups seem to advocate for it. It’s become popular through word of mouth,” he says. There are many reasons why period cups are so popular among women, one of them being its efficiency. Women ApEx spoke to say that a menstrual cup saves a lot of hassle. You don’t have to buy multiple packets of sanitary pads each month or worry about proper disposal. Some said it has also made traveling easier. Priyanshu Joshi, a 21-year-old student from Sanepa, Lalitpur, has been using a menstrual cup for almost two months now and says switching to it has been the best decision she has made. Earlier, she had to be hyper aware about leakage and change sanitary pads time and again. Not to mention the discomfort that comes with using sanitary pads. Since switching to the cup, her periods are stress free for at least twelve hours at a stretch. “There are times when I forget I’m on my periods since the menstrual cup is comfortable,” she says. Joshi has also been able to monitor her period flow. “I can check the color and consistency of my period blood. That has helped me understand my period better,” she says. She finds it has also helped tackle the problem of period odor.  Priyanka Neupane, a 20-year-old from Sinamangal, Kathmandu, who is studying to be a CA, has been using a menstrual cup for two years. She says she was nervous at the beginning but since she has always had excessive bleeding in every menstrual cycle, sanitary pads were turning out to be an expensive and unreliable option. She says on days when she doesn’t have cramps, she doesn’t even realize she has her periods. Apart from the physical comfort it brings, Neupane says it has also helped to hide her periods. “Coming from a conservative family, period has always been a big issue,” she says, “But with menstrual cups, no one finds out when it’s ‘that time of the month’ for me.”  Many women still can’t talk freely about menstruation in their homes, let alone protest against the various taboos that come with it. Hima Bista, a women’s rights activist, thinks differently. “Why would you hide it when you should be talking about it openly and breaking the taboos instead?” she asks.  But despite wanting to, it’s not easy for many women to go against norms that their parents and grandparents believe in. They also don’t want to hurt their loved one’s sentiments, especially if they are old and thus rigid in their ways. Aarzoo Nepal, 22, who works at Kantipur Media Group, says it took years of struggle for her family to finally understand that menstruation is a natural process. “These things can’t be rushed,” she says.  Nikki Gautam, 22-year-old who lives in Dhobighat, Lalitpur, says a woman once claimed to feel ill as she assumed Gautam made her tea while on her period. Entering the kitchen, or even touching kitchen utensils for that matter, when on your period is thought to be the harbinger of bad luck. “It’s funny how menstruation is everyone’s problem when in fact it’s not any of their business,” she says. With the menstrual cup, Gautam says, it’s been easy to hide her periods and make it no one’s business but her own.  Anju Thapa GC, owner, Anju Sanitary Pad, a company that makes reusable and eco-friendly sanitary hygiene products, says many women have visited her store in search of menstrual cups, mostly after it was recommended to them by someone they knew. But most of them aren’t comfortable using it immediately after buying it, she says. “Some of my regular customers say they haven’t started using the cup despite buying one a while ago. Many confessed they were scared when using it for the first time,” says GC. However, those who use the cup say it’s really easy once you get the hang of it.  There are certain things that make using menstrual cups difficult. There aren’t good public washrooms, or proper washrooms in most workplaces where women feel comfortable enough to clean their cups. Sushrusha Aryal, 21, who studies at Kathmandu University, has been using a menstrual cup for two years. On days with heavy bleeding, she needs to keep emptying her cup, and that’s always a problem. She always carries sanitary pads to use in case of leakage. “After that, I’m always on the lookout for a place where I can clean up. I almost always have to return home in a rush,” she adds.  There’s also the problem of figuring out which menstrual cup fits the best. Priyanjali Karn, 20, student, St. Xavier’s College, Maitighar, who has been using a menstrual cup since 2020, says she has to use sanitary pads in addition to a menstrual cup on the first two days of her periods. This, she says, might be because the cup is too small for her.  “I bought it immediately after hearing about menstrual cups. As a first time user, I don’t think I knew which size would work for me,” she says. Indeed, women ApEx spoke to claim there isn’t much information on how to choose the right size. They have had to use the hit and trial method to figure out what works. Then there are also women who have bought menstrual cups but are unable to use it as they don’t know how.  “It’s natural to feel the pain or uneasiness when you first try to use it. But greasing the cup can make the insertion smooth,” says Prof Dr Eliza Shrestha, a gynecologic oncologist at Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital. She says the best thing to do is to wet the cup or use a water based lubricant to reduce the pain. “A wet menstrual cup is much easier to insert,” she adds. However, like any other sanitary product, a menstrual cup may cause infection. Dr Shrestha says it’s best to avoid using it if you have a history of allergic reactions or vaginal irritation.  Every woman’s body reacts differently when a foreign object is placed inside. Dr Rijal says he has had patients come to him with problems like increased mood swings and pelvic discomfort after using a menstrual cup. He also recommends proper washing of cups, with a good disinfectant, between uses. “Though I normally recommend a disposable cup, if you take good care of the cup and sterilize it properly, it can be a good sustainable alternative to pads and tampons,” he says. Women ApEx spoke to agree—despite having some drawbacks, the menstrual cup has made their periods so much more convenient, they say.